Posted on 02/25/2006 4:45:34 AM PST by Man50D
A Maryland organization that runs four government-funded day-labor hiring centers is training volunteer "legal observers" to videotape members of the Minuteman border security group and to picket their homes, places of work and their children's schools.
"We are going to target them in a specific way," Gustavo Torres, executive director of Casa de Maryland told the Maryland Gazette, speaking of the Minutemen volunteers who have set up a surveillance site across the street to discreetly photograph contractors who pick up day laborers at the center.
Going out with their own cameras will only be the first step his group takes.
"Then we are going to picket their houses, and the schools of their kids, and go to their work," Torres said. "If they are going to do this to us, we are going to respond in the same way, to let people know their neighbors are extremists, that they are anti-immigrant. They are going to hear from us."
The Minuteman Project's "covert" campaign to monitor day labor centers has been in operation for a little over a week. The group, which started with much-publicized efforts to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border and report sightings of illegal aliens to the Border Patrol, has turned its attention to the employers who hire undocumented workers.
"From a national standpoint, we want to close the border down and stop the flow of illegals," said Stephen Schreiman, president of a newly formed Maryland chapter. "We want to do the same thing here, but our approach will be a little different. What we want to do is to basically discourage contractors and businesses from hiring illegals. It's against federal law.
"We're going to go after these [contractors] at the state and local level because these people aren't paying taxes. We're going to take these people and through a vetting process determine which ones are not paying their taxes and doing business in an inappropriate manner and then turn them over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. That should put a damper on the hiring of illegals."
The most recent annual report for Casa de Maryland, a non-profit, shows $2,771,615 in income for 2004-2005, of which 51 percent was provided by various government agencies. According to its website, the organization's employment program provides day-labor placement for "low-income Latino and African immigrants ... as employers seek to replace permanent workers." "We never ask for documentation," Torres told the New York Times in December. "Our mission is to help anyone in need of service, regardless of their immigration status. We are proud of that."
Casa's operation has not only been blessed by government funding but it has the support of the local business community.
"In this area, the commercial sector hasn't been harmed in the sense of people being deprived from work because of the day laborers being here," said Erwin Mack, executive director of the Takoma⁄Langley Crossroads Development Authority. "Consequently, while there are issues with their right to be in the United States, that's not what we're concerned about. We're concerned that they wait in an area that doesn't hurt our commercial properties.'
That's not good enough for Minuteman's Schreiman who intends to pursue his effort to inform the authorities about unlawful activity and have the law enforced.
And Schreiman's commitment to stay within the law – and the fact there have been no complaints filed with the police over the Minuteman surveillance – isn't good enough for Casa's Torres, who told a Spanish-language newspaper it would be better if the Minutemen did not interfere with Casa. But it is Torres threat to recruit individuals to picket Minuteman members' children at school that has the greatest likelihood to escalate the tense, but so-far peaceful, situation.
"Threatening children like this is outrageous," said Minuteman Civil Defense Corps President Chris Simcox. "Casa de Maryland's funding should be pulled and its contracts cancelled. It is beyond belief that taxpayer dollars are funding this thuggish behavior."
The Maryland Minutemen have their work cut out for them. Takoma Park, site of the Casa day-labor center they've been monitoring, has declared itself a Sanctuary City and prohibits its employees, including police, from arresting illegal aliens or assisting federal immigration authorities.
When I was a young, stupid kid. I got busted for shoplifting. I wonder if I could have garnered some sympathy if I'd claimed that the store owner who caught me was 'anti-consumer.'
"When will the GOP ever wake up?"
I doubt it. Ken Melhman is a horrible RNC leader.
What is really Great about this is this organization gets over 50% of its funding from federal, state and county grants. Lets see if I have this right, we the taxpayers fund this organization to support illegals and harass citizens and their kids because they want the laws enforced. Makes perfect non-sense to me :-(
Citizens need to light a fire immediately under every elected official and bureaucrat...every single one of them who are responsible for funding this lawbreaking.
It sure looks like they are using the Muslim "fear" tactics. And then there's this:has declared itself a Sanctuary City and prohibits its employees, including police, from arresting illegal aliens or assisting federal immigration authorities.
Exactly how does one go about declaring oneself a "sanctuary" and keeping the police out? This would seem to be quite useful to a lot of criminal types.""
Openly flaunting basic laws is inviting scrutiny this jerk won't like to have.
Refusing to obey Federal laws can call for the IMMEDIATE withdrawal of Federal grants and funds which are given out to fight local crime. Unless he thinks he can convince ALL the citizens to follow him into the fire on this, he is faced with raising taxes into the stratosphere, and then can be faced with other criminal charges for not following Federal laws.
what a jerk.
Isn't he openly guilty (with his own words) of intimidation/blackmail or whatever of the people he is targeting?
We will have to stand up to this type of behavior. It has become standard to accuse those against illegal immigration as racist, and it has become standard to accuse those in favor of enforcing the law as extremists.
Don't forget, the man who is calling them extremists is supporting and enabling illegal activity. And he has managed to figure out how to get support for his cause, and even taxpayer funding. Think about that, taxpayer money supporting illegal activities.
This BS goes on because it is easier for politicians to go along with them. Up to now they have screamed the loudest and shouted down those who don't agree by calling them racists and extremists. We need to stand up to the politicians that enable this, and let them find out supporting this BS is not the easy way to go.
As things stand, I'd say they are safe in assuming that. That in-your-face/screw-you attitude is one held by both the (so called) advocacy groups and by most of our politicians. It's infuriating.
Maybe we need signs reading "Americans Demanding Equal Treatment Under The Law For Everyone".
Sort of a new version of "No justice, no peace!" ;^)
Takoma Park - San Fransico of Maryland.
How can they NOT assist Federal authorities. Have they left the US (please say yes).
Loony tunes.
I don't know who is committing more of these types of crimes (citizens vs illegals), but there is way too much of it going on.
Illegal Immigrant Pleads Guilty To Sexual Assault
WHEELING, W.Va. -- The Ohio County prosecutor says an illegal Mexican immigrant was staying with a family in the county. The victim's mother says she trusted that family and let her child spend the night at the home where the 10 year old girl was taken advantage of.
Through a translator, Diego Lopez-Mendez pleaded guilty to sexual assault in the second degree but also pleaded with the judge not to give an excessive sentence.
"In the pueblo where I grew up girls are usually married by 13 years old....I was unaware of the nature of the offense or that it was a bad crime," said Lopez through the translator.
The judge handed down the mandatory 10-25 years sentence.
The defense attorney says Lopez accepted the plea agreement fully understanding the charges and consequences.
Target the children of minutemen? Sounds like a good way to get your ass shot off.
Well, the president tells us they're all a bunch of vigilantes. And he'd never lie about something like that, now would he? Just consider it the next step in the progress of the brave new world of the global economy.
They're breaking our immigration and security laws, why not break anti-stalking and harrasment laws while they're at it.
ping
How outrageous!
In a word, our leadership has already 'surrendered' to Mexico.
I love a plan that backfires. Bring it.
Let's hope that for targeting the children and the homes that the L.E. is called in and the full weight of the law comes down on their pointy heads.
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